


Once and Future

by cat_77



Category: Merlin (TV), Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-22
Updated: 2011-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-27 18:01:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/298519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cat_77/pseuds/cat_77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They have been entrusted with a gift... that will likely go horribly wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once and Future

**Author's Note:**

> For the awesome Emeraldteal and her birthday of doom.  
> 
> 
> * * *

John blinked as the room slowly faded back to its usual grays and blues. They had just been visited by not one, not two, but nearly a dozen of the Ascended Squiggly Beings of Light, or whatever they wanted to be called now. The fact that one of them was the infamous Daniel Jackson was something he was not ready to deal with quite yet. The fact that they left a very definite gift behind was something he could not avoid.

“Okay, seriously, how can they call this a gift?” Rodney complained from his side. “This is not a gift. This is a responsibility of epic proportions.”

John nodded dumbly in agreement, eyes still fixed on the gift/responsibility/headache before him. Arthur. _The_ Arthur. The Once and Future King Arthur stood before him, the purported most powerful wizard of all time just slightly to his right, and the supposed down bringer of Camelot to his left.

Two of the three were sucking their thumbs.

“They’re kind of cute, really,” John offered, scratching the back of his neck. Arthur had wisps of pale blond hair falling into his eyes and framing his chubby little cheeks. Merlin’s far darker locks curled about his ears and neck, a startling contrast to some incredibly pale skin and bright blue eyes. And Morgana? Well, he was not even going to get near that mop of curls, that would be all Teyla.

“They are a great honor to behold,” Teyla corrected him. “We have been entrusted with their care, and with their preparation in facing the challenges that lay ahead.”

“Anyone else get the feeling that one of those challenges may be potty training?” Rodney asked, earning a glare from his Athosian teammate.

John had to admit it was a fair concern though, as it looked as though the trio could barely stand, let alone change the course of history. As if to prove his thoughts as valid, Merlin teetered forward, missing cracking his head open on the floor solely by Ronon’s quick reflexes. The act seemed to trigger a chain reaction though, as Arthur then tried to reach for Merlin and ended up tripping over his own chubby feet and taking Morgana down with him.

Morgana glared at the boy, and John moved to right them both, but found it entirely unnecessary as Merlin, still safely ensconced in Ronon’s arms, waved his hand and his little blue eyes turned a startling shade of gold. Arthur was summarily lifted back upright and carefully set back down on the cool tile floor.

Arthur apparently thought this was fantastic and clapped his hands and giggled and looked like he was ready to purposely fall again just to make Merlin perform his trick. Morgana, on the other hand, looked less than pleased and opened her pouty lips to let out a wail that was sure to wake the dead. Teyla went to comfort her and found the child raised up into her arms, though it was unclear if this was Merlin’s doing once more as Morgana’s own green eyes turned an identical shade of gold.

“Okay, so this may be a bit more complex than I imagined,” Sheppard admitted.

“You think?” Rodney snarked back, but John could tell he was just as fascinated as he was with the new developments.

John had other things to worry about right now though, as Arthur was watching his two little friends be held by John’s two big friends, and had decided that just would not do. He stumbled over to John and tugged on his leg. Attention obtained, he lifted up his arms and imperiously demanded, “Up!”

John did as requested as he had no idea what else to do, and soon found his arms full of the possible savior of the universe. Who was currently wiping his still wet thumb on the back of John’s flack jacket.

“Okay, what now?” he asked as Arthur snuggled in to a more comfortable position.

“We care for them,” Teyla replied as if it was the most obvious response ever.

“And protect them,” Ronon chimed in. Merlin was currently tugging on one of his dreadlocks, and the Satedan was easily propping him up with one hand while tugging free a hidden knife with another.

John was not sure he liked the look on Arthur’s face as he watched the blade be secreted away somewhere else, and had to ask, “How do you baby proof against Ascended beings?”

Rodney rolled his eyes while Ronon offered a shrug and a succinct, “Very carefully?” In contrast to his words, however, he flipped Merlin upside down over his shoulder, holding on only by his feet, much to the squealing child’s delight.

Rodney squinted his eyes and tilted his head to the side and he contemplated, “Do you think they will have any special dietary requirements? I mean, they are already obviously melatonin deficient, what about iron?”

John snorted and tried not to find Arthur taking his comm and tucking it behind his own tiny ear adorable. Instead, a horrifying thought crossed his mind. “Hey, Teyla? Did that cousin of yours end up naming her kid after Dr. Rodgers?”

Teyla nodded, confused. “Yes, Guinevere is doing quite well at the settlement, why do you ask?”

With wide eyes, John swallowed, “No reason.” When all three children looked to him, clapped their hands, and started chanting “Gwen! Gwen!” he added, “Though we might need to set up a possible play date in the future.”

“Just hope no one names their kid ‘Lance’ and we should be fine,” Rodney muttered.

John thought about the anthropologists and their current hobby of reading old legends to the throngs of curious Athosians, and figured it was a lost cause. He looked to the children and noted Morgana and Merlin’s apparent glee at levitating anything and everything in sight, and figured that pretty much summed up the situation as a whole as well. With a mental shrug at what the future might hold, he offered, “Ice cream?”


End file.
